Falling down the rabbit hole- best trip!

1/8th of an ounce/ 3.5 grams

I went to San Francisco to visit a friend for an extended weekend and came across some amazing mushrooms from a group of hippie girls. We both took 3.5 grams (1/8th of an ounce) which was the equivalent of eating 2.5 mushrooms. Getting them down was the hardest part- especially since I had never taken them in that way before- I always had them in tea (eating them will give you the strongest and best experience I found out first hand). I ended up buying a sweet drink and taking swigs of them with the drink and eventually got them all down- although I came close to gagging due to the texture and taste. My queazyness lasted only 5 minutes and I felt fine for about 15-20 minutes. I sat in the park in San Francisco in the Mission District with my friend and the hippie girls while they played the sitar and then started noticing the colors around me become very vivid (it was 2 hours before sunset)- the most vivid I have ever seen in my life. I didn't even know colors like that existed. 5 minutes after I started noticing the colors becoming vivid I started feeling myself vibrating and knew it wouldn't be long before the mushies took over. The girls ended up leaving because it was getting cold (San Fran in late Nov), but my friend and I decided to go walking around the park just for a little and considered joining up with them at a later time. Five minutes after that I felt myself starting to get lost and not knowing where I was (although when sober I knew exactly where I was). I knew I only had about 10 or 15 minutes to find comfy spot in the park before it was too late. We ended up finding a perfect spot under a tree where we could see the sun going down and that's where my journey into complete insanity began.

As our trip started coming on I remember picking up this glowing pretty leaf that was on the ground next to me. And as I looked at it I could see every vain and groove in incredible detail- something I had never witnessed before. It was as if I was looking at it with a magnifying glass except I had none. The the grass started turning colors and waivered from an intensely bright minty green to a turquoise green. As far as the eye could see in the this massive park I could see the grass moving back and forth as if it were a coral reef underwater. The grass by my feet was twisting and turning, the tress were breathing and the blue of the sky was ethereal. I felt so deeply connected with everything and everyone one in the park- I could feel the energy from everything. It was almost overwhelming.

By the time the sun had set it had been 2 hours since I had taken the shrooms and by that time it felt like time had completely stopped. Looking at my watch meant nothing as time could not be read or even understood. It was as if 2 hours went by, but in real time no more than a minute had elapsed. People and animals now all glowed with life. I could see their auras- some brighter than others. Animals glowed the most and its as if I could read their minds as well as read the intentions of people. I became truly hyper psychic and could feel anyone's emotion 10 fold.

At the 2.5 hour mark (I couldn't tell time, but I imagine that's the time it was) I was to the point where I was so cold and needed to pee and didn't think I could contain myself. I knew I couldn't move from my spot or I'd get lost and never be able to find my friend. So I decided to ignore the cold and imagine warmth and to my surprise it worked! I felt so immediately warm and the cold didn't bother me at all from that point on. Then came the issue of my bladder feeling like it was going to burst and I decided that I too would ignore that physical pain and need and try my best to surmount that sensation- and I did. I felt like a yogi who spends his days meditating and can surpress physical needs- I felt so empowered and proud of myself. It seemed that everything I imagined and challenged myself with I could come out the winner.

Not much longer after that I recall seeing people fading away and the landscape change. It was now nightfall and the stars and the moon was out. It felt however like we weren't in the realm we are used to living in as humans, but in alternative world/plane or dimension. Everything seemed to stop- it was going slow before, but at this point everything just stopped. It was as if someone pressed a pause button- everything was quiet- nothing was moving. It was just my friend and I. We became very cuddly and we were just hugging each other, caressing each other's hair, telling each other how much we love one another and how happy we were to have each other as friends as well philosophizing about life. We weren't sure if this is what it was like to be dead.... we felt as though we were in a spirit realm. I thought any moment I'd start seeing spirits or nature beings like faeries or elves. It felt like Wonderland.

After feeling like we had been sitting down for centuries we decided to get up and wander around. I remember getting up and putting my hand on my friend's shoulder and seeing it and feeling it go through him. Then I remember trying to get my phone out of my pocket and feeling it go through my pocket and into my pants. I was so confused and a little scared that Id lose my wallet and phone- I thought that everything would just fall through my pockets and into the ground. I have had shrooms before, but I had never experienced anything this profound or intense. We eventually got to our feet, but didn't know where to walk to. We had been in the park before sober and knew it well, but now it seemed like a different landscape. I was starting to get just a little worried since it felt like we had been on this trip forever and we had plans with family friends later that night. I knew I couldn't go back home in this state and knew that I needed to sober up just a little. It's funny how when you're on an extreme mushroom trip you wonder to yourself if you're going to stay like this forever. It's just like being insane- it made me wonder if this is what it was like for people locked up in mental institutions. It also made me wonder if mushrooms are like keys to the other realm- keys to the truth and if the truth is too much to handle. It felt like we lived in a matrix of falsities and that we were given the gift to wander around this alternative universe for a short time. Just as we were giving up and were about to sit down under another tree until we sobered up a bit we saw people spinning fire about 1000 feet away. They were like beacons to us and I felt as though I could trust these people since even from 1000 feet away I could see them glowing with good energy. We finally made it to them and told them that we were on a pretty intense mushroom trip and asked them if they knew how to end it (mushroom trips are fun, spiritually fulfilling, but emotionally draining and you can only take so much before you need a break). They told us to drink a beer since it's a downer and they kept us a company for a little. I tried my best to communicate to them, but it was so difficult since I was still tripping pretty hard. It seems that I had no issues whatsoever communicating with my friend almost psychically since we were on the same substance, but with sober people communication is pretty one-sided. I could tell what they were thinking, but they find it difficult to understand you.

As we sat with them talking my friend started getting even colder to the point where he was shivering and this group of what seemed to be homeless-hippies took the shawls off their backs and wrapped my friend in them. It actually made me cry to see them give everything they had- their advice, company and clothes- to my friend who was in need (he was cold and it was his first trip). It made me start thinking so much about society and how badly we treat transients, the poor, the junkies and prostitutes on the corner- and how sometimes they can be the nicest of people- they seemed more human than the richer people who scoff at them when they walk passed them. These people have to deal with so much pain- and it saddened me that I was like the rich, haughty, ass that passed them and criticized them for not doing something with their lives. I realized that in fact they were doing something with their lives- they were nomads, wanderers, compassionate people who are happy being themselves regardless of society's standards. They took me in and hugged me and made me feel so at home in their little tribe. They spun fire for me and made me feel warm and happy. I remember looking at them- both the girls and the guys- and thinking how attractive they were. That's the weird thing with shrooms- no matter if you're straight or gay- you start feeling sexual feelings for people regardless of sex. It's really hard to explain and a little weird to some at first, but at higher dosages watch out if you're not comfortable with that aspect of the drug. I think it makes you discover parts of yourself which you never knew existed- which can be a little scary- but more so intriguing. Shrooms I think make you become who you should be- someone who looks past gender/sex and looks at the actual person inside.

As the shrooms started to wear off we were still in the company of these homeless hippie people and I started to see them glowing less and I could start seeing their imperfections and physically they started becoming less attractive. It's exactly as I stated before- the shrooms bring out inner beauty- they teach you how valuable of a trait that is. A trait that we don't value as much in society. We eventually said our good byes as we started waking up from this semi dream state and started remembering who we were and how to get home. We walked down the avenue toward all the bright lights and could still notice some people glowing- and one thing that I noticed was that almost everyone I passed was looking at me and smiling. It's as if they could see me glowing- they all looked so attracted to me and it was just such a great feeling. I felt like I had the glow of an enlightened person. We made it to a restaurant and had a little bite to eat as well as a drink and by this time I felt 85% sober, but was cracking up because whenever I'd look at the menu or at a picture it would start moving and morphing. It just made us laugh so much- feeling sober yet still mildly visually tripping.

I had a very early flight the next day and made it to the airport a few hours later. I was still feeling the "after glow" effect and was still a little sensitive from the mushrooms. I was running late for my flight and was a little nervous that I'd miss it . So I ran to the check-in counter and voiced my concern to an employee of the airline and she treated me so meanly and rudely for no apparent reason. Maybe she was having a bad morning, but it affected me in a way that I had never experienced before. I just started tearing and ran to the bathroom, locked myself in a stall and just cried for 15 minutes straight. I'm a guy- and I do cry at times, but I don't cry often and am pretty reserved with my emotions. I guess I was still feeling people's emotions (not as strong as during the height of my trip) and her negativity towards me was too much for me to handle. I ended up missing my flight, but caught another. As I left San Francisco on a jet plane and saw it below me I felt saddened.... I left a part of me there.... a part of my heart and a part of my old way of being. I didn't miss the old me- I liked the new more connected me, but I will forever miss that amazing experience.

Here are a few conclusions-

1. Drinking mushrooms in tea is more palettable, but not as effective in MY experience. Eating them is the way to go- yes, for most it tastes horrible but it's well worth the experience. Have them with peanut butter and you're good to go. If you half-ass your method of consuming them, you're only going to get a "half-assed" trip.

2. Tripping in a room vs tripping in nature or outside- Tripping indoors feels safer, it will be warmer (which is nice!!!), but it won't be as rewarding. Tripping outside is a lot scarier because you wonder if people are going to mess with you, you worry about cops, you get scared of people staring at you, there's always the danger of stumbling into traffic- yes it's more dangerous but WOW does it make a difference. Being around nature is ineffable during a mushroom trip- you can feel yourself become one with everything and if you're the exploring type this will fulfill the need. It's like being an astral explorer- exploring lands that most people never get to explore. It's so fulfilling. So to make this simple- sacrifice your comfortability for a more spiritually rewarding experience. It's the only way you'll grow- by challenging yourself no matter how scary it seems. You'll know what I mean :0)

3. Tripping in the day vs night- My recommendation is why not do both? Eat mushrooms an hour or two before sunset. The colors that you'll see in the day will not compare to anything you've seen before. I had always tripped at night and didn't know what I was missing. In certain ways the trip is actually stronger in the day. Try it!!!

4. Shrooms bring out the bisexuality in all of us. Yes some of us have never experienced it, but trust me I think it happens to most of us. Frankly, I think most of us are wired this way and shrooms are like a truth serum. Like I said in my account, if you are not comfortable with this aspect stay away from higher dosages. If you are brave and willing to experience the truer you- go for it! It feels great!

5. If everyone in the world took mushrooms just once, I think humans would treat people with more love and acceptance. There's no way you can experience mushrooms and not even be a little change. It will make believers out of skeptics. I promise!

6. Mushrooms will bring out the psychic qualities in you and if you are already sensitive/psychic it might become overwhelming. Prepare yourself.

7. Dosages!! I found out I was under dosing myself the times I have tripped. I think mushrooms are meant to be experienced at the right dosage, under dosing is still nice- but not nearly as spiritually moving. It's more like being really relaxed and stoned at a lower dosage compared to being out of your body, seeing the most amazing visuals and connected with everything at a higher dosage. Have fun!!!